This invention relates to a power door lock and power door window system for a vehicle.
Typically, on vehicles that have power door locks, a separate actuating mechanism, which may be a solenoid, is employed for locking and unlocking each door. The solenoid is typically mounted in each door, adjacent to the door latch assembly on the door. Accordingly, four solenoids are typically necessary in a power lock system for a four-door vehicle. Similarly, a separate powering mechanism, usually a motor, is typically used to raise and lower each window in a vehicle that has a power window system. A motor is conventionally mounted within each vehicle door for powering the window mounted within the door. Accordingly, four separate motors are typically employed in a power window system on a four-door vehicle.
A vehicle pillar adapted for use between openable and closable vehicle doors having functional parts therein includes a structural member defining a hollow vehicle support portion adapted to abut the vehicle doors, and an actuating mechanism housed within the hollow vehicle support portion and including a drive member sufficiently engageable with a functional part of a respective vehicle door when the door is closed and the vehicle pillar is between the doors, so that the functional part functions. The functional part may be in a vehicle door lock system that locks and unlocks the doors. The functional part may be in a vehicle window system that opens and closes windows.
A vehicle power window and power door lock system includes a single lock actuation assembly adapted for engagement with a front door lock latch assembly on a front door and a rear door lock latch assembly on a rear door for locking and unlocking the doors. The vehicle power window and power door lock system further includes a single reversible electric motor adapted for selective engagement with a front window on the front door and a rear window on the rear door for driving the windows up and down. In the vehicle power window and power door lock system, the lock actuation assembly and the motor are mounted in a body pillar disposed between the front and rear doors.
In the vehicle power window and power door lock system, preferably the lock actuation assembly includes a dual action solenoid. Additionally, the lock actuation assembly preferably includes a front door engagement member and a rear door engagement member, each of which are disposed in the body pillar in a manner allowing for operable connection of the members with the respective door latch assemblies.
In the vehicle power window and power door lock system, preferably, the motor is selectively engageable with the front window when the front door is closed and with the rear window when the rear door is closed. Additionally, the vehicle power window and power door lock system preferably includes a front window drive gear, and a rear window drive gear, both of which are driven by the motor and are disposed in the body pillar in a manner allowing for operable connection of the drive gears with the respective windows.
A vehicle side door assembly includes a door lock latch assembly, a latch rod operatively connected to the latch assembly, a window, and a driven gear operatively connected to the window. The latch rod is operably connectable to a lock actuation assembly located in a body pillar adjacent to the door when the door is positioned against the body pillar. The driven gear is operably connectable to a motor located in the body pillar when the door is positioned against the body pillar.
The above objects, features and advantages, and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best modes for carrying out the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.